Aurora Praeco
by Sierra Nova
Summary: Twilight Sparkle is expecting the annual Gala to go smoothly. She didn't expect a group of mysterious armored creatures to crash the party, try to kill her mentor, and take her captive. She didn't expect to come into contact with a lost empire with technology that rivals Equestria. She certainly didn't expect to get sucked into a world ending prophecy that she is key in...Oh boy.
1. Chapter 1

**Aurora Praeco**

By Sierra Nova

 ** _Let me tell you a story._**

In the beginning, there was one.

Its song was the endless expanse of ether, the unbroken edge.

Monotonous. Unwavering in pattern.

Perfected.

Its name was the Void.

Over this universe It reigned supreme, unchallenged by any being.

Then, a new song was heard in the domain of the Void.

It began as a spark, in the corner of the realm, barely noticeable if not for a single discordant note.

For the briefest moment, the Void considered this small, pathetic anomaly at the edge.

It shook away Its curiosity.

This thing, this blight on Its domain must be disposed of.

The Void reached to snuff out the newcomer.

Before it could, the spark exploded, burning away the smothering presence of the Void.

The Void recoiled, screeching in agony.

The spark glowed like an ember, fearful but willing to fight.

Why was It being attacked? It'd done no wrong to the assailant.

The spark took in Its surrounding, saw the potential this place had, how beautiful it could become.

It saw how the Void sought to snuff out such a future

A new resolve took over the little light. It decided to face this despot of reality.

It opened Its mouth, and from it sprung forth a new song.

It cut through the Void like a seething blade of hellfire.

The light burned away the Void, scattering the choking darkness like ash in the wind.

In place of this, galaxies were born, then stars, then planets.

On that day, the Void was spurned.

On that day, the Universe burst in creation.

On that day, The Eternal was born.

* * *

"You understand your task then?"

The figure speaks with an even tone, their features hidden behind their mask.

A man stands before them, encased in onyx tinted armor. Channels

of golden light run over the entirety of its surface.

The man looks up, the skull like visage on his helmet glowing

like embers in a dying fire.

His voice is emotionless as he responds.

"Venture into the den of our enemies and return with the head of the Corona."

"A simple task, one which I shall accomplish with ease."

The figure observes the man for a moment, before nodding to

another person residing elsewhere in the chamber.

There is a hiss of released gas as a pedestal rises from the floor.

On it rests a small metallic device wrapped in an intricate casing of golden filaments.

" Rise Saladin, Firstborn of Valerius the Betrayed. We of the High Council gift

you this holy blade so that you may reap vengeance upon those

who inflicted harm upon our people."

"Avenge your bloodline and reclaim what was lost to our kind!

Do you accept this mission?"

Saladin takes the weapon into his hands.

It's light, and hums with power. Power, and a taste for

blood spilled by a hand fueled by righteous fury.

"I accept this challenge, O wise Council."

" _I will not fail."_

 ** _I KNOW THIS ISNT THE CHAPTER I PROMISED, BUT IT_**

 ** _STILL NEEDS A LOT OF WORK. I'D ALREADY DONE PART OF THIS EARLIER, SO I THOUGHT TO PUT THIS ON FOR NOW._**

 ** _THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE._**

 ** _SINCERELY, SIERRA NOVA._**


	2. Update 1

Allright, I'll make this quick; I know this story hasn't been updated in two months, and I really don't like leaving stuff unfinished like this. Things have made it difficult to complete chapters in an orderly manner, and I don't want to mess anything up with this one. The next chapter is 75% done at this point, before I start work on the next one.

I can't say for sure how long It will take to post it, but it should be soon. I'm truly sorry for the trouble, and I mpromise it will be worth the wait. Thank you for your patience with me; it means a lot. Merry Christmas to yo all!

Sincerely, Sierra Nova. 


	3. First Contact

Chapter I : First Contact

Canterlot, capitol city of Equestria, Royal Library

Beams of sunlight shone from the the palace windows. Light cascaded through the colored glass, casting a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues across the carpeted floor. This pattern was repeated on either side of the library hall, illuminating the legions of shelves that were crammed with books. This impressive collection of manuscripts, which had been amassed over numerous eras, was residence to some of the most ancient writings in Equestria's history. Strewn about this archive were wooden tables and benches, mainly for the use of those who would occasionaly peruse these corridors in search of one article or another (or just looking for a quiet place to rest). At one of the tables sat a single occupant, currently pouring her attention over an encyclopedia. The creature resembled a cross between a pegasus and a unicorn, about 4 and a half feet in height and with a wingspan nearly double that size. She had a lavender shaded coat of fur, with a dark violet mane cut into sharp bangs.  
near her hind legs rested a 6 pointed magenta star. This was Twilight Sparkle, the respresentation of the Element of Magic, and current Princess of Friendship. She shifted in her chair, her horn glowing absentmindedly as she turned to a new page. At the moment, Twilight the picture of content. Truth be told however, she was desperately attempting to prevent having a mental breakdown. The reason being that she'd volunteered to plan and host that year's Grand Galloping Gala, an annual party held in Canterlot. What made this one so stressful was that not only would the standard emmisaries and officials from Equestria's traditional allies be present, but there would now be guests hailing from previously isolated civilizations, such as Changelings, Dragons, and the most recent addition, the Hippogrifs.

Between helping to prepare suites more suitable for the newcomers, sending out invitations in the native dialects of the regions, and advising the chefs on what to cook, she was exhausted. Thankfully, she wasn't alone in her tasks:several of her friends had agreed to help set up the festival. Rarity, a unicorn who specialized in fashion and decoratives was supervising the asthetics of the gala. Applejack, an earth pony farmer, and Pinkie Pie , a baker of the same species were helping with desserts. Rainbow Dash, a pegasus wonderbolt,was helping to prepare the aerial presentation for later in the evening. Her other friends Fluttershy, an animal caretaker, Starlight Glimmer, a rival turned companion, and Spike, her young dragon assistant/confidant, were helping to organize transportation for those from more out of the way locations. Just about everyone was buried up to their necks in some kind of activity, leaving little time to recover. Twilight had at first been reluctant to take a break from her duties while everyone else was labouring so hard to put everything together, but they had insisted that since the gala would be taking place that night that she get some rest before the events began. So after taking a particularly restful nap, she had decided to pay a visit to the Canterlot Archives get her mind off all the preperations. Thus, she had spent the past 2 hours pouring through dozens of books. Presently, she heard the sound of the door to the main entrance open, and the sound of hooves on the wooden floor. She turned to see a brown and red pegasus guard clad in golden armor standing before her. He placed one of his front hooves on his chestplate and bowed his head. " Princess Twilight," he began," I've been sent to escort you to the Royal Palace. Their Majesties Celestia and Luna wish to speak with you as soon as possible." Twilight replied," Thank you kind sir, I'll be there shortly." The guard nodded." Shall I send for an entourage to escort you, Princess?" Twilight shook her head." That won't be neccesary. I can fly there."

"As you wish, Milady." The guard turned and exited the building, leaving Twilight to contemplate just what it was that the two sisters might want with her at the moment.  
The irrational part of her brain seemed convinced that in her absence, the gala preperations had gone horribly awry and that Celestia, her former mentor, had summoned her for a stern reprimand. That scenario was struggling to take over the rest of her mind. She shook herself, attempting to banish such thoughts; she had confidence that her compatriots could maintain order without her being there. It was nothing. Probably. Hopefully. Maybe? " Oh dear." she said to herself." I really am stressed out." It didn't take long for her to reach her intended destination, what with having a pair of wings and all. She landed elegantly on a balcony connecting to Celestia's main study, where Twilight had guessed her former mentor would spend this time of the day. Her intuition had proven correct as she opened the door leading inside, only to to see the ivory colored princess resting comfortably on a sofa. Celestia had forgone her crown and chestpiece, allowing her multicolored hair to flow freely about.  
Her sister Luna, a navy colored mare nearly the same height as her sister, was absorbed in a halfway complete puzzle. Celestia, having taken notice of Twilight's arrival, turned and smiled at her former student. "Twilight," she beamed." it's good to see you. you arrived sooner than expected. I'm assuming you turned down the offer of a ride here?" Twilight smirked at this." I just don't really see the point of having wings if I don't use them." Her brow furrowed, her nervousness showing for a brief moment." You two wanted two see me?" Presently, Luna turned her gaze from her puzzle to address the younger alicorn." You needn't be worried, Princess.  
We merely wished to see how you were holding up."

The young alicorn feigned suprise." Worried? Why would I be worried...?" The look on her two counterparts' faces gave all the indication need." I'm that obvious, aren't I ?" Celestia walked up to Twilight, wrapping a wing around her torso. " We understand that you're under a lot of pressure to have everything ready forthe gala tonight, but you shouldn't have to feel as though you should be ashamed for wanting to gather yourself. I recieved word that soon everything will be in place for this evening. You and your friends have done extremely well." Twilight, having perked up at this statement, beamed at the sisters. " I'm glad you feel that way. Hopefully after this is finished, the alliances we've forged will only grow stronger."

Unknown Location

"Protheon, is everything prepared for the mission?" The one whose name was mentioned looked up from the holo pad he'd been examing. The transparent blue screen collapsed into the tubular projector as its user placed it down on a nearby crate. He stood at a hulking 6 feet tall, covered from head to toe in bronze and black plating. He turned his attention to the one who had addressed him. Upon seeing who it was, he placed a fist across his chest, bowing in respect. "My Prince, all systems are fully functional. We'll be ready to depart shortly." Saladin nodded in approval." Good. Make sure the stealth drive is prepared." "Yes,My Liege." "Saladin!" The Prince turned, To see a new pair, also fully armored, walking up to him. One of them, clad in teal colored armor was sleeker and more feminine, mimiced the same gesture as Protheus." Did the Council give you the ceremonial blade?" Saladin replied," They did,Athena." He placed his hand on the handle. "It feels lighter than those blades we used in our training." He turned to the other figure." Killian, old friend. Your father let you leave the Scorchlands to join us?" Killian, dressed in onyx and amber armor, shrugged." He might be a Suzerain and a counciler, but I managed to convinced him that I would be of better use if I accompanied you." Beneath his visor, Saladin grinned. "Either way, it's good to have you with us." Presently, a voice from the ship could be heard." My Prince, the _Charon_ is ready to depart . I recommend we leave before the rift closes again." Saladin nodded. "Understood." He back to turned to the other three." May the Eternal's light guide Our path."

A few miles away, a ziggurat overlooked the coastal line. A woman dressed in a silver gown watched as a dot of chrome hovered over the waters before speeding off, finally disappearing behind a haze of clouds. Her face, obscured within the shadows inside the tower, remained facing in the direction of where the craft had gone. She sighed, turning her attention to a mountain steppe several miles away, Its peak illuminated by several vibrant hues. " Valerius," She whispered." I fear that boy isn't ready to face this challenge alone. If you can, protect him."

" _Please."_

Canterlot, Annual Gala

'Well, this is going better than I thought it would.'

Those were Twilight's thoughts as she surveyed the ballroom occupants. Much to her suprise(and relief), there had been no incidents of ambassadors getting in a brawl with each other. On the contrary, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. _Considering_ that both she and her friends had been intergral in forming relations with most of the represented nations, that shouldn't have made things too difficult, but it was still relieving that nothing had gone awry. Twilight was woken from her musing by someone asking," Didn't I tell you we could handle this?" She turned, and saw a purple and green dragon walking up to her." I know, Spike.  
I just couldn't help but be nervous for a while." Her assistant tilted his head slightly, taking a sip of his punch before replying," Well, there's no need for that now, I guess. Everything seems great." Twilight, satisfied with this response, replied," I suppose you're right. Go catch up with some of the others; I'll join you shortly."Spike grunted in reply, making his way through the crowd to join a group of dragons. Twilight sighed, pouring herself some punch.' Everything seems to be going so well. I really should stop worrying about all this."

"Carnifex, we have arrived at the dropoff point." an automated voice announced." Stealth drive is holding." Saladin, roused from his meditation, responded," Excellent. Have you located the Corona?" "Affirmative. It and three other Alicorns are positions just outside the plaza." The Prince turned to the other three occupants of the hatch." Check your weapons and HUD. We can't afford to screw this up. Killian, I want you and Protheon to clear a path to the Corona. Deploy drones to eliminate guards if neccesary." Killian said," Got it." Protheon simply nodded, his attention focused on his datapad, checking to ensure that all drones were fully operational. "Athena, I need you to find an elevated cover fire if we need it. The girl nodded." I'll do my best." " Remember all you, keep your active camoflouge on until I signal otherwise. If we alert them to our presence, we'll have botched this entire mission. Any guards who get in the way are fair game, but the Sun Bearer is mine. Do I make myself clear?" There was a chorus of argreement from the other three. Saladin examined his own blade, the golden hilt glinting against the onyx grips implanted into it. _Chorus of the Avenged_. This would be the weapon that would start the crusade. The beginning of the end of those who had betrayed his people. Of those who had murdered one most dear to him. He would strike down the Aurora. Make it beg for mercy, just before he delivered the killing blow. The _Avenged_ thrummed, as if anticipating the coming skirmish. Just like him, It was ready. Just like him, It was out for blood. Together, they would not fail.

Celestia gently tapped her glass with a spoon. The ringing it emenated gained enough attention for her to speak. "My friends, from both my own country and those from the remote corners of this world, I would like to thank you all for making the journey here to celebrate this momentus event. In Canterlot, the Gala represented a celebration of unity and prosperity. Thanks to the efforts of the Mane 6 and their associates, we have experienced an unprecedented era of peace. Alliances that were once thought impossible have now become reality. When The Storm King conquered this city, it was they who inspired you to rise against him. I have seen one in particular who showed her talent for leadership and the ability to strive in the most dire situations. She was one of the main organizers of this event. With that, I am honored to introduce to you all, Princess Twilight Sparkle!"

The crowd applauded as Twilight came up next to Celestia. The solar monarch turned to her former pupil. "Go on, you deserve this. Give them a show." Twilight gave a nervous smile, before stepping up. "Thank you, Princess. I'd just like to say that I'm eternally grateful for all the support I've recieved from my friends and family through these years. Without them, I might never have gotten to this point. We are one people in the end, and I hope that in future generations to come, that unity only grows! So raise a toast for peace! Raise a toast to unity!" It was then that everything fell to chaos.

a few minutes earlier...

Athena checked her Shrike Rifle for the third time. The weapon's lighting glowed the same hue her as before. Why was she so anxious? She'd trained with this device countless times, perfecting her marksmanship. This particular rifle was heavily modified for stealth operations, serving as the perfect tool for assasination. Not that she'd ever gotten the chance to use it outside of a simulation. Nothing beyond a simple drone had ever ventured outside of the Refuge. She had trained for this moment for countless centuries. She had honed herself, just as Saladin, Killian, and so many others had for this moment. So why couldn't she shake off this feeling of dread? It creeped at the edge of her mind, clawing away at her focus. She shook her head. _Get yourself together_. This was for Father, and everyone else who'd been slaughtered all those ages ago. She aimed her weapon, the sight aimed at the alabaster alicorn. She would have to keep an eye on that one, ever more so than the others. She commed." Saladin, I'm in position. Aurora is in my line of sight." "Confirmed Athena, stand by." Athena gripped her rifle, smiling as she recalled the name she the name she had given to it; _Arrow of the Vigilant_. With this, she would silence those demons of the past forever.

Killian deployed the last of the drones just as a guard passed by. He tensed, waiting for the intruder to pass again, he was grateful the camoflouge drives the council had granted to them were doing their job properly. It was an experimental unit, designed to be twice as effective at cloaking the user than the older models, though this one had yet to be given an field testing. The manufacturers back home had granted this newest model as a means to work out any flaws in the system. So far, nohing had malfunctioned. Killian breathed a sigh of relief as the guard finally passed. A shame, he thought. He had been hoping to test out the bayonet he'd installed on his silenced pulse shot. Sure that he was alone, he flicked it on, observing the tiny orange plates shifting together to form a blade resembling half a of a broadsword, the tip burning white. The weapon attached to it was compact, designed for mid to close range. It fired four bursts of incendiary projectiles per shot, a trait shared by most weapons from his clan. He grimaced at that thought. He came from one of the more isolated tribes in the Northern regions. His in particular had been one of the more beligerent groups in the old days, preffering to keep others at a distance. However, that was no longer a luxury that could be afforded.

His Father had been against him going on this mssion. It had been a particularly nasty arguement between the two of them before Killian was allowed to partake in the operation, and that was only after Protheon, the Captain of the Council Guard, had been assigned to join as well. The hulking warrior carried around a massive Gravity Hammer customized for maximum damage at close range, making him a deadly juggernaut. It added to Protheon's intimidating visage. Focusing his thoughts on the task at hand, he watched as the drone took off into the air. The disk shaped automaton would provide valuable intel on the area, as well minimal cover fire if need be. He only hoped it wouldn't come to that. He commed their leader." Saladin, all drones are in place. You may begin when ready."

 _Such vile creatures._

That was Saladin's thought as he gazed down at the festivities below him. He was perched on the ledge that overlooked to entire plaza. From there, he had a clear point of view of his prey. Four alicorns sat together,the tallest among them at the center. His HUD focused on that one in particular. It was colored white, Its hair flowing in some unseen wind. The Corona. The murderer of the last Carnifex before himself. The one who had led the genocide of his species. This one must be a descendant of that monster. The ball of cold fury raged within him, his training and the need to remain hidden being the only things restraining him. Everything was in place. He took a breath to calm his nerves, before turning his gaze to the night sky. "This is for you Father."

He commed his team." Begin the assault." With that, he leaped from his perch,landing silently behind two guards, a griffon and unicorn. Having disengaged his cloak,he took a swing at the neck of the equine, aiming for the jugular vein. Sharpened claws appeared at the edge of his fingertips, shredding through muscle and skin, severing the throat of his victim. The unicorn let out a gurgling screech before crumpling to the ground in a heap. The griffon, now aware of the presence of the attacker, shouted," Intruders! We're under atta-argh!" He didn't get the chance to finish the sentence before his own throat was torn open. Saladin watched as the hybrid fell to the ground, a look of terror and pain etched upon his dying face as his blood pooled on the ground. _Foolish creature_. His attention was drawn to the sound of more pained screams as another band of guards was suddenly assaulted by Killian and Protheon. His friend had just impaled a pegasus on his bayonet. He threw the creature to the ground before opening fire on another soldier. In comparison, Protheon swung his hammer, the blue lights within glinting against his bronze armor as it collided against a pair of dragons, sending them into an aching pile against a nearby pillar. Saladin could almost hear the titan of a warrior growling at his opponents, daring them to come closer.

He focused on the task in front of him. Enjoyable as it was to slaughter these beasts, he didn't have any time to waste. Besides, Corona would make for a better experience. A grin as he anticipated the confrontation. A pair of earth ponies armed with lances charged at him. He payed them no heed.  
jumped over them, he delivered a kick to each of their heads, knocking them unconscious. He continued his charge, before he was blocked by a transparent magenta shield. A white unicorn dressed in what appeared to be formal military uniform stepped forward, Its electric blue mane dancing around Its neck. Saladin growled in frustration, none too happy at this upstart that dared to get in his way. He delivered a punch against the shield. The unicorn's face turned from determination to suprise as the magical aegis formed a web of cracks across its surface. Saladin dealt another blow. Then another. His oponent, now panicking as his defense became weaker with every strike against it, poured more energy into the barrier, hoping it would hold. Saladin was having none of it. With a final shout he dug his claws into the shield, shattering it to pieces. Not giving the equine time to react, Saladin backhanded the wretch across the courtyard, where it made contact with a wall, and moved no more. One of the alicorns- the small purple one- cried out, seemingly in anguish.

Saladin smiled in satisfaction; doubtless the one he'd just sent careening was a particular favorite of that one. His mood quickly changed as he saw the white alicorn rise from her place, staring him down with an unreadable expression. He slowed his approach, coming to a halt only a few yards across from his foe. He glanced at his more guards had surrounded him. In contrast to the golden plated suits worn by the grunts he'd torn through, these warriors were clad in platinum armor with onyx trimming. These were honor guard troops. Normally this wouldn't be much of a nuisance; it likely wouldn't take long to eliminate these buffoons. Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to bother with them. His comm opened, and Athena reported," Saladin, you have at least another two dozen soldiers heading your way. If you have a plan to end this without sustaining significant injury to yourself, I'd suggest you do so now!" Saladin merely nodded at this comment. Presently, a memory of an event long past crossed his mind. Huh. That would do. "Hold your fire for now. I have something special for this one." There was a pause on the other end, before Athena replied," Understood. Standing by." Saladin turned his attention back to the alicorn. It would just as it had been then. The only difference: this time, It would the Carnifex who was the victor.

He couldn't wait.

It was as though the gates of Hell itself had released Its lords upon the plaza. One moment Twilight had been at the center of applause, and the next three hulking bipedal creatures had appeared from the shadows and had slaughtered the guards and anyone else in their way. They were dressed in black skin suits covered by plates of some form of metal. She could only watch as the first two had brawled against several guards. She was horrified as the bronze colored one swung Its massive hammer through several unfortunate warriors , likely pulverizing many rib cages and spines, and the other one( his one dressed in black armor with orange lights) skewer a hippogriff on what looked to be a glowing bayonet that was attached to a strange handheld weapon. Said weapon was then directed at other assailants, firing glowing hot projectiles that melted through the iron plating. It only got worse as the third, seemingly the main instigator of the attack, charged in her direction. Her brother Shining Armor, the captain of the Royal Guard, had attempted to fend off the attacker. Twilight could only watch as the strange being shattered Shining's shield spell with Its claws, before throwing her sibling across the plaza. She almost ran from cover to Shining's aid, but Luna held her back with a wing." Stay here, young one. You won't be any good to your brother dead."

It didn't take long for the Honor Guard to be arrive, a wall of luminous platinum armor between the Princesses and this mysterious assailant. The rest surrounded It, weapons at the ready. Celestia, having finally seemed to have gathered herself, stepped forward to face the newcomer. She spoke, her voice betraying no emotion."I am Princess Celestia of Equestria. I would ask that you and your comrades drop your weapons and surrender. If you refuse, I'm afraid we'll be forced to utilize more lethal methods." The stranger gazed at Celestia, or at least it seemed to be doing so; it was difficult to tell considering the helmet covered area where the creature's face should be. Now that it stood still, Twilight could get a decent look at It. It was bipedal, at least 5 feet tall, and covered with smooth muscles underneath the skin suit.  
Plates on obsidian colored armor were placed all over the body, seeming to melt into the inner layer yet still noticable. Grooves ran across the whole body, and a golden light glowed within them. There was a symbol resemmbling a compass surrounded by circular rings located on the chest, the golden light seeming to glow more intensely in that region. On the 'face', intricate lines were patterned to ressemble a sort of skull insignia, complete with fangs. It tilted Its head, studying the one who spoke in such a manner. Finally, It spoke. The voice sounded hollow, as if an actual skeleton had spoken. There was a metallic ring beneath, adding a sort of menace to those words uttered. "How typical...you held my predecessor in much the same contempt, even when our two factions were on more equal terms . I see your kind were diligent of consolidating power and," at this he surveyed the ambassadors still present." in subjugating the other ." Celestia's expression remained as stone. Luna stood up. "Surrender and identify yourself, Creature." The skull visage brightened as the biped took a step toward the monarch. The honor guards drew closer, weapons pointed. The voice grew sharper, a venomous undertone becoming present. " Mind your tongue, Alicorn! You stand in the presence of a Carnifex, and you would do well to show the respect befitting one!"

The skull's voice calmed." I am Saladin, heir to the previous Carnifex Valerius- the one you Alicorns murdered millenia ago! I have come to seek vengeance for his death, and for the destruction of my people's civilization. In accordance to the ancient law of combat, I challenge the Corona to a duel of single combat." At this, he pointed a claw at Celestia. A murmur went through the crowd. Twilight peered at this one who called himself Saladin. _Corona? What is he talking about?_ Celestia gazed at the figure. "What happens should I refuse?" Saladin remained quiet for a moment before raising an arm, before closing the five appendages at the end into a fist. Two bolts of bluish light streaked through the air. Seconds later, the two guards closest to Saladin were struck. They didn't even have the time to react as their bodies convulsed, beofre disintegrating in a flurry of blue embers, their armor and weapons dropping to the ground. Everyone else recoiled, backing away from the armored figure."I'll simply order my forces to slaughter every single wretch in this plaza. Should you accept my challenge, I will allow everyone else here to keep their lives." The solar monarch remained resolute, her face unreadable. Finally, she spoke." I accept your challenge." Luna looked at her sibling.  
"Sister, surely you jest!" "I have no choice Luna." Celestia adressed her oponent. "Carnifex Saladin, what are the terms of your duel?"

This was perfect! The treacherous witch had taken the bait,just as Saladin had hoped. His armor seemed to vibrate in anticipation. He calmed himself before answering.  
"Simple. Each of us shall choose two weapons to use. We shall fight until one yields to the other. The victor decides the fate of the defeated. No one else is permitted to interfere while we are in combat. Do you find these acceptable?" He smirked as he watched the Aurora's frown deepen at this mockery." Yes, they are."  
Saladin clasped his hands together. "Excellent!" He signaled for Killian and Protheon to stand down. Seeing that their leader had achieved his intended goal, they ceased their rampage, backing away from the remaining guards. "You may summmon whatever weapons and armor that suits you, but be swift;my patience will last so long." His grin only widened as he saw this last comment rile up the Alicorn. He silently thanked the blacksmiths back home for the facial concealment software. The smile faded as he remembered the rules of combat. From this point forward, he was on his own. Athena couldn't save him with a sniper round if he lost; neither Killian or Protheon could interfere to save his life. He had only himself and his blade. He brushed his fingers on the hilt of the Chorus. He only hoped he would succeed where his father had failed.

The Carnifex stood defiantly before the Princess, having declared his challenge. The Alicorn's horn began to glow a warm gold, shining brighter with each passing second.  
As she did so, small dots of light flickered to life around points of her body. They soon etched lines of gold in the air, forming a pattern ressembling the patterns on an insect's carpice. Then, pearl color plates of metal materialized around the lines, forming a smooth shell comparable to the armor worn by the honor guards. There were inlays of silver etched throughout the armor. Underneath all of this was a black undersuit similar to the one worn by her advesary. Beside her, a golden rod of light assembled with a curved white blade at the top. The light dissipated, revealing a massive haelbard, the blade a shining platinum that mixed with the gold infused shaft. On her other side was a similarly colored shield that bearing a solar emblem. The Carnifex snorted, seemingly unimpressed with this display. "An axe? Poor choice, Alicorn." He removed a small device about a few inches across from his waist, before gripping it in his hand. Rather than a single blade, two prongs of yellow light ignited, nearly touching the ground. The hilt seemed to meld into the Carnifex's arm, a sort of gauntlent assembling around his forearm. The prongs were transparent, held together by black substance resemmbling mist. Arcs of yellow lightning danced around the tip. He swung the weapon around; the air seemed to howl as the blade cut through it. He assumed a fighting stance, his sword arm resting upon the other at the elbow.

Celestia understood the gesture. She gripped her haelbard and shield in her telekinesis, holding the defensive tool close to her chest. The pair began to circle each other, each movement deliberate. Each waiting for the other to strike first. Celestia brought the shield closer to her chestplate. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't feel the need to take such a defensive posture; she was in every sense of the word untouchable, nearly invincible on the battefield. The difference now was that this oponent was clearly no ordinary combatant. The armor alone was indication that any conventional tactics could lead to a gruesome injury. Perhaps a series of teleportations to distract-. The Carnifex lunged with an unnatural speed, his blade seeming to howl as it passed through the air. Celestia raised her shield, blocking the attack mere seconds before it would've penetrated her shoulder blade. The protection spells laced into the steel strained to endure the assault, sending off sparks tumbling to the ground. Celestia grunted as her opponent placed more pressure on the shield. She almost didn't notice the clawed hand swinging at her head. She twisted her neck, narrowly avoiding what could've been a fatal blow. Instead the claws raked across the side of her face, barely missing her eye and leaving deep gashes in her helmet.

This came as a suprise to the solar monarch; enchanted metals such as these took years to properly forge, but once completed they were nearly impervious to damage. _Is his armor forged from a stronger material?_ She didn't have time to dwell on this for long, as her opponent had taken the opportunity to deliver a kick to her chestplate, sending Celestia flying back several feet. It took a few seconds for her to regain her bearings, and she barely had enough time to fly out of the way as Saladin lunged with his sword again. She could smell the tips of her pearly feathers being singed as the tip of the blade passed by them. Finally having enough of being on the defensive, she charged her haelbard with energy, before swinging her weapon down and sideways, forcing Saladin to back up for fear of being cleaved in half. Celestia heard her foe curse in some alien tongue. Her ears perked; there was something about the words uttered that seemed almost...familiar?  
She shook away the thought _._ She quickly turned her attention back to the fight. She charged her weapon again, aiming the tip at Saladin, as a beam of golden energy rocketed toward him, hitting him center mass. Astonishingly, the warrior managed to withstand the barrage of magic. Celestia could make out a faint flicker of energy pulsing around the area that had been hit. Possibly a sort of protection spell similar to her own. She observed as the light grew brighter around his hands, glowing white hot. Saladin pointed his arms at Celestia, and a pair of white beams of light raced towards her. Realizing the danger, Celestia managed to dodge the lethal magic. her relief was cut short as one of the beams made contact with her left wing. There was the sound of a shield spell collapsing under the barrage, followed by the stench of of burned flesh and feathers. Saladin laughed triumphantly, the horrible sound seeming to resound through the plaza. " Is this the best you can offer, Corona? I'd expected better of you."

Celestia rose, visibly weakened by the attack. She took a moment to examine her injured wing. She grimaced internally upon viewing the damage; most of the feathers had been scorched off, and the skin that had taken the most damage was charred black. Gashes of deep red could be seen in some spots. As far as she could tell, there were no broken bones, likely only due to her naturally robust physiology. At any rate, she'd have to continue the remainder of the fight grounded. She glanced at the remains of her shield; the spells enhancing the aegis had failed, forcing the metal to take the brunt of the damage. Unable to sustain itself, it had melted into a useless husk. She discarded the ruined piece and turned her attention back to her opponent, assessing possible tactics. Straightforward attacks had proven useless, and the Carnifex had attacked visciously every time she'd faltered. He was like a wraith, unconcerned by any threat of bodily harm. Wait... unconcerned by threat of injury. Presently, a wild strategy formed in her was extremely risky, but Celestia had run out of options. _Might as well try_. Rising to her hooves, her magic took hold of her haelbard, thankfully still intact. Her opponent tilted his head. "Still want to fight?" He brandished his alien weapon, the twin prongs seeming to make the air scream as he swung it about. "Good. I was afraid this would be too easy." Celestia said nothing. She brought her own weapon to bear, placing it in front of her injured wing. The room remained eerily silent as the pair began to circle once again. After a few moments, they stood before each other once again.  
Each starkly contrasted the other; whereas Celestia's posture was rigid, her massive battleaxe in a defensive position, the Carnifex's movements were fluid, almost playful as he stood with his sword at he , the Princess spoke." Carnifex,if you truly have a grievance with me, why must it be repaid in blood? You need only stand down, and we can settle this without further casualties."

The Carnifex seemed to consider this, giving Celestia hope. It was quickly shattered upon hearing the reply, his words now laced with venom. "Stand down? You've lost your mind, wretch! Your kind lost any hope of mercy from me the moment you assassinated my predessecor! He offered you peace, he gave you every oppurtunity to cease your treachery, and you answered him with a poisoned blade through the heart." At this, the gold lights in his armor glowed brighter." I will finish what started all those years ago. Tonight, I'M **_SLAYING GODS_**!" He charged forward, arcs of yellow lightning crackling off the edge of his blade. Celestia likewise advanced. As they drew closer, she began to swing the sharp of the axe downwards, seemingly to cleave the Carnifex vertically. He let out a menacing chuckle as he dodged away. He swung his blade sideways, expecting to hear the sound flesh being torn apart. To his confusion, he heard only the sound of the air being cut. For an instant he froze, searching for his prey. The faint ring of something teleporting behind him caught his attention. He whipped aroun. "Wha-!" Celestia was bearing down on him, the haelbard prepared to deliver an uppercut. The Carnifex twisted his torso, barely avoiding having his spinal chord severed. He caught the blade with his own as he attempted to force his attacker to the ground. His opponent was equally determined. The pair remained in this position for several seconds, each trying to overpower the other. Sparks littered the floor as the two weapons clashed. Celestia grunted as she struggled to keep her footing. The Carnifex leaned his mask forward until it was only a few inches from her muzzle. "You're more experienced in combat than I anticipated; I imagined you'd rely on poison to deal with your enemies." He flexed his arm, causing more sparks to light. " I think I've decided what to do with you when this over: I'll take your head as a prize, maybe use your pelt as a cloak." Celestia bared her teeth, her hooves beginning to slip. His next words were like daggers, the cold chuckle with them like ice." Perhaps I'll even take a few of your precious subjects as well. I could always use a few pets for entertainment!"

With an enraged shout, she forced her enemy's blade to the ground, exposing his head and neck. Her horn lighted as she concentrated on the other end of the haelbard.  
Within seconds a blinding golden light flashed, before revealing a mid sized serrated blade. The metal glowed white hot as flames engulfed it. With all the strength she could muster, she pushed, aiming the new tool up at the Carnifex's head. Realized the sudden danger, he twisted his neck away. The blade grazed his throat, barely missing his aorta. However, he wasn't quite fast enough as it made contact with the side of his helmet. His shields flared, the white lights glowing intensely as it attempted to repel the attack. He growled." You DARE-!" He grabbed the shaft with his free hand as he desperately attempted to shove the offending object away. This time it was Celestia's turn to speak." I know not what dark hole you crawled of barbarian," Her muzzle came closer." What I do know is this: You will NEVER bring harm to any of my people, not while I still breath!" With one final effort, she forced the blade down on the Carnifex's helmet. There was a sound like glass breaking as the shields finally collapsed. The onyx metal held for a few more seconds, before it too gave way.

 _CRACK!_

The side of the helmet was ruined as the the serrated edge dug in. The Carnifex let out an enraged screech, clawing like a beast. Silver fluid began to seep from the rupture point. His claws found a grip on Celestia's injured wing. He clamped down, using the leverage to throw Celestia away, dislodging the offending weapon. The Solar monarch skidded a couple yards away before she regained her footing. She ignored the throbbing pain coming from her wing. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other two warriors tense up, seemingly preparing to defend their leader. Her attention turned back to the one she'd just wounded. He was on his knees with his back to her. His ruined helmet had been cast aside, the deathshead visage melted down and the lights within it had dimmed significantly. Suddenly, he stood up again. Now that the helmet was off, Celestia observed that his hair short and curly, colored a pale whitish silver with charcoal specks. When he spoke, his voice lacked the metallic echo, but the clear malice in his labored breaths was clear. "You...you _dare_ to strike me? That will be the last time you get that close." He turned, fully revealing his face. He resembled some kind of primate, though his face was clean shaven. His skin was a light tan, contrasting sharply against the gold tattoos running from his forehead, across a pointed nose, and down to his chin. The pattern was interrupted only by the gaping laceration on his right cheek. The silver liquid-now recognizable as blood- seemed to glow as it dripped downwards. Celestia took in the spectacle, observing at the wound, the markings, his eyes-

 _Oh dear heavens, his eyes!_

The Carnifex was a heterochromiac. His left eye was a deep sapphire with flecks of aquamarine standing out in the iris, ressembling the cold stare of some deep ocean monster. In stark contrast, his right was a radiant gold with spots of amber inlayed within. If the blue was like a calculating predator, this was like the fiery gaze of some wrathful,primordial god. Both were fixed on Celestia's person, the malice seeming to bore a hole through her soul. He spoke again, the rage in his voice was more subdued. "All those centuries you enjoyed prosperity, when you ruled over all these lands, you did so on the backs and on the blood of my brothers and sisters; you are cowards, traitorous and without a code of honor, a disease upon this planet!" As he spoke, the lights on his armor shifted to a malevolent crimson, pulsating as it grew brighter. Wisps of ebony smoke curled at the edges of his eyes. he opened his palm and his previously discarded blade flew up into his grip, igniting into a similarly colored blade. The same mist as his eyes rose from it as the Carnifex calmly walked over towards his nemesis. Unconsciously, Celestia began to back away, an inexplicable fear beginning to seep into her like an icy haze. She took a glance at the other two creatures; their body language indicated that they knew what this was, and had no intention of getting in their leader's way. She turned her gaze back-he was gone. She glanced around in alarm. Where did he go?! It was then she heard that cold hiss of a voice, this time behind her.

"So pathetic."

She whirled around, swinging the haelbard. The Carnifex caught the sharp of the blade in his free hand. He glanced down at it as though it were merely a child's plaything. He turned his gaze down at the Princess. "You truly think yourself invincible don't you? That you're some holy deity?" His grip tightened, caused the axe head to warp.  
Celestia's eyes widened in panic as he leaned closer." In the end, I know what you really are beneath that facade." The haelbard's blade shattered like glass, the spells that augmented it vanishing in an instant. He extended his claws, delivering an uppercut. Scarlet blood flowed from Celestia cheek, narrowly avoiding her eye. She didn't get the chance to cry out as the warrior delivered a kick to her midsection. She flew several feet away before she was again backhanded as the Carnifex teleported across the room to strike again. He continued this process, mocking his prey the whole time." You can wield all the power of the Cosmos; you're only hiding what you are in reality,"  
At this, he grabbed Celestia by the throat. "just a **_WORTHLESS PARASITE_**!"The blade tore through her abdomen in one strike. There was a collective gasp from the onlooking crowd, as well as a few screams as they watched the Solar monarch get skewered. Celestia gasped for breath, coughing up blood. The Carnifex leaned in closer.  
" How does it feel? the agony you inflicted on so many innocents?" He twisted, then withdrew the blade, dropping her to the ground." Such frail things you alicorns are." He watched as she raised her head to stare him down. He grinned as he began to raise his blade, aiming for her throat. "I am Saladin Praeco, last Carnifex of the Human Empire; and now, I am your bane!" He lunged forward, crimson blade seeming to roar like some vengeful demon as it cut through the air, ready to end Celestia's life-

" **NO!** "

A blur of lavender fur rushed in front on Celestia's prone form, followed by a flash of magenta and red clashing. When the light display dissipated, the sword was buried in ground by several inches, deflected by Twilight's powers. She stared up at the Carnifex." Please, don't do this! Have mercy!" The Carnifex's eyes lit with fury as he was denied his kill. Celestia managed to recognize her former pupil through her blurry vision. She lifted herself up, grimacing as she felt her recent wound drip more blood. She managed to croak out, "Twilight don-" before she fell into another fit of ragged coughs. Twilight gave her a reassuring glance, before turning her attention back to the assailant. She only hoped she wouldn't be his next victim.

 _Damn it all!_

Saldin cursed under his breath when the _Avenged_ missed his prey. How by all the Hells had he missed? His confusion turned to rage as he saw the answer. The smallest of the Alicorns-the purple one if he remembered correctly- had jumped in front of the Corona, deflecting the killing blow. The bright red blade had been pushed to the side and into the ground when it came into contact with the wretch's vile enchantments. He became even further enraged when It spoke again. "If you want to take anyone's life, take mine!" Saladin heard a gasp rise from the crowd. He himself was suprised that this one was so willing to die if only to save the Corona's life. He briefly felt a spark of admiration for this Alicorn's daring; he banished the thought as quickly as it had appeared. This treacherous worm was unworthy of any respect! The ball of fury forming in his gut morphed in puzzlement again as he realized what had just happened: This poor excuse of a magic user had managed to block a direct strike from a sword forged in the High Council's armories! Weapons of that caliber contained some of the few remaining pieces of Golden Age technology still in existence. How was it that this creature had managed to even survive against such an assault? His eyes roamed over the one now identified as 'Twilight', searching for some device capable of such a feat. His gaze came to rest on Its flank. There, he could make out a six pointed star with a similar hue to its wearer's magic. Small wisps of silver were coiled around it. His eyes widened in recognition.

 _No._

That couldn't be possible! It had been shattered _**centuries**_ ago in the Purge!

Yet there it was, now embodied in the form of his worst enemy; the Dawn Oracle.

Any thought of slaying the Corona was thrown akilter at this revelation, coupled with even more questions. It all came out in a single utterance. "How did you survive?"  
The Oracle tilted Its head, seemingly confused." W-What are you talking about?" "You were destroyed in the Purge! You were vaporized!" The alicorn (or now avatar?) remained oblivious. What was going on? How could it not only have no memory of what had occured all those eons ago? How could it stand before him, _**defending**_ the heir the one who'd destroyed it to begin with! Presently, a new thought took form in his mind; this was an ideal oppurtunity, even more valuable than finally slaying the Corona! A voice within the depths of his mind screamed at him to finish the task he had sought out to complete upon arriving here. He silenced it. The Corona was indeed a threat, but it would be even more so if he allowed such a powerful asset to remain in enemy hands. Internally, he sighed, understanding what he had to do.

 _Sorry BaBa_.

Twilight continued to stare down the Carnifex, her confusion at his strange question doing little to quell her anxiousness. She'd been going on pure instinct when she threw herself in the line of fire to protect Celestia; there was no plan involved, a fact that clashed with every other facet of her character. Still, both herself and her mentor were still alive, and the armored biped hadn't attempted to use his weapon again. Hopefully that was a good sign, right? She was confused however when he asked how she survived. At first she assumed he was reffering to his attempted assassination. Then he threw her off completely with mentions of the 'Purge'. What was he raving about?  
Now he'd remained silent for several seconds, leaving Twilight to wait for next reaction. Finally, he spoke to her.

"I... grant your request for mercy."

The young Princess breathed in a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank yo-" He raised a hand, interrupting. "Spare me your gratefulness. I swore to return to my home with a trophy. If the Corona is to be allowed to still breathe, I require some a replacement as consolodation." He pointed down at Twilight, much to the horror of all observing. "You will act as that replacement." Twilight opened her mouth to speak." You can't be ser-" He cut her off." Should you refuse, I will not hesitate to order my subbordinates to utilize more...lethal methods to persuade you." The mimicking Celestia's statement was not lost on Twilight. He glanced up, noticing a multicolored assortment of 7 equines and a small purple dragon. They seemed to be even more concerned for the safety of the Oracle than the others. He was momentarily perplexed as to why they'd be concerned. He turned his attention back to the Oracle. It seemed to be mulling over his offer, its face contorted. Finally, it spoke. "I accept. I'll return with you as your prisoner. My only condition is that you leave everyone else here unharmed." The Carnifex smirked. Even in such a position as this, this avatar still had the gall to try to bargain. Perhaps this one was more savvy than at first glance. "Excellent. We depart immediately." He opened his hand, returning the now dormant blade to his hip, before producing a mid size chrome ring from some previously unseen compartment. He reached for Twilight's neck, placing it at the base of her throat. The Princess shifted in discomfort; the device was tight around her throat, clutching at her skin like a vice. It seemed to be powered with the same energy as her new captor's armor. It was then she felt a brief ache in her horn. She attempted to light it. It sputtered for a moment before ding out like an ember. Her blood ran cold in realization what she had just been burdened with: A magic dampener. The Carnifex continued to stare down at his new prize, before turning to his subbordinates.

"Protheon, signal the _Charon_. We're leaving." His next words addressed the crowd. " Let this be a warning to each and every one of you! Your time of idleness is over. Gather the armies of your lands, ready your defenses for the storm to come, for soon you will all the wrath of the ones who you betrayed so long ago! Repent, for the time of your judgement draws near!" With that, he promptly grabbed Twilight up by the scruff of her neck as though she were a kitten. He took one more glance at Celestia's weakened form, before walking towards the balcony, the two other warriors following close behind.

Athena lowered her rifle, shocked at the turn of events that just occurred. _What had just happened?_ Presently, a small voice entered her was Saladin. He was utilizing their old means of communication, likely as to not reveal her position. _Athena, return to the ship. Are you certain Brother_? He chuckled. _Yes. We have our_ _prize. Time to go home._ The voice was gone as quickly as it had entered, leaving the sniper to her own thoughts once again. Why had the Aurora live? What could possibly be more valuable about the scrawny bundle of purple that he now dragged along? She shook her head. She would leave him alone for now; there was no point in causing further stress. The Council would do that just fine on their own.

 _What a waste._

Beneath his helmet, Killian scowled. He'd nearly been discovered several times preparing those drones, all for nothing! Saladin had allowed the worst enemy of their people to live, all for one creature that was completely useless sin comparison. He moved to confront his friend, but the Prince, as if he sensed the coming arguement, gave him a single glance that said it all: _Save it for later._ The chieftan's son bit his tongue. He knew better than to argue with the Carnifex; Killian had known Saladin for too long to question him now. Might as well wait for a better opportunity to address this.

The plaza was in chaos. Several pillars had been severely damaged over the course of the duel, as well as multiple casualties incurred from the initial suprise attack. Now, one of the most powerful entities known lay severely injured on the ground, and another princess was being dragged off to who knew where with the ones responsible for the destruction. None dared to intervene as now four humans reached the edge of the artifical mesa. Present large black craft resembling some primordial sea creature phased into existence before them. A ramp lowered, allowing them entry. Their leader gave on last look at his handywork, forwning down at his almost- grand prize. He shrugged, then entered the vehicle along with his compatriots. Having picked up its personel, the flting machine took off, vanishing into the night. Celestia's blurry gaze stared at where it had departed, finally turning to gaze at the ruined helmet of the one who had bested her. She could hear the voices of his sister and niece, as well as several others calling for a medic. She found her voice once again, the ragged whisper barely audible to even the speaker.

"Twilight...forgive me."

Finally, Princess Celestia, Raiser of the Sun was embraced the inky shadows as she passed out, surrounded by a pool of her own blood.

Dear friggin' lord that was rough! I finally managed to get this done! As I said before, I'm really sorry for taking so long to write this. I really wanted to take my time to make this chapter really worth the wait. A lot of things came up, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will show up. Thank you all for your patience, and I'll see you soon. Thanks!  
Sincerely,

Sierra Nova ;-)


	4. Trophies, Old Wounds

Aurora Praeco

Chapter II : Trophies, Old Wounds

This place is like a tomb.

That thought had been on Twilight's mind for the duration of her time in the cell she'd been placed in. It was spacious enough for her to lie down in a relatively  
comfortable position and tall enough for her to stand on all fours without colliding with the the bulkhead. She was surrounded on three sides by walls of some  
unrecognizable metal. Its surface was a flawless, inky black, devoid of any imperfection that could provide a prisoner with some hope of escape. Literal walls of  
shadow. They unnerved the young alicorn more than she cared to admit. The fourth one thankfully was lacking in the dissmal hue of the other walls, but  
still failed to provide any sort of comfort. When the Carnifex had practically tossed her in here, her first instinct had been to attempt to charge out at him. The  
result had been her colliding with the back of the cell as she bounced off some invisible energy field.

The largest of the four 'humans' had been tasked with ensuring the alicorn remained imprisoned. Unlike his comrades, the hulking mass of bronze armor  
barely spoke a word, exchanging only the briefest of utterances in his native tongue. Most of the time he was addressing the supposed prince, the name Saladin being  
heard often. The other two tended to keep their distance from the titan; they were probably even more intimidated by him than Twilight was. Now he sat crosslegged on  
the other side of the barrier, directly in front of the prisoner. The young monarch( having nothing else to do at the moment) took the oppurtunity to examine her  
jailer. Up close he seemed even more alien than before. First was the armor. In contrast to the sleek, almost organic suit design, the titan's was a cross between large  
angular copper plating laced with golden sigils and smoother,rounded pieces of metallic chrome. Several mint green lights glowed across its surface, most noticably  
a pattern of dots and lines forming the visage of some alien beast. His massive hammer rested at his side, defiantly contrasting the dark interior of the vehicle they  
were residing in. Twilight turned her gaze outside her cell. It was a lighter shade than the walls surrounding her, with cyan and golden  
lights pulsing through thin grooves etched into the metal. As she observed, she began to notice it seemed to imitate a heartbeat, as if they were inside the  
innards of some beast. Despite her predicament, she couldn't help but marvel at the complexity of this great machine. How her captors had learned to construct such  
a wonder of technology was beyond her comprehension.

She grimaced as she felt the device wrapped around her horn pulsating in unison with the ship. The ring of metal seemed to be syphoning as much energy from her as it  
could, dispersing it harmlessly into the air to be absorbed by the inky walls. Twilight could only imagine what these strangers and their contraptions were doing with  
her magic; perhaps as a means to study her anatomy more in depth? There was no way to tell from here. I don't even know where they're taking me. Her brow furrowed as  
she thought of everyone at home. How did she know that the Carnifex hadn't simply destroyed everyone once he had his prize? He'd already proven his technology could  
stand up to the most powerful alicorn in existence. It stood to reason his kind possessed far more dangerous weapons. The Carnifex,or Saladin as he called himself, had  
seemed to take a particular joy in wreaking havoc. She stifled a shudder upon remembering how easily he'd dispatched Shining Armor. What truly confused her was the fact  
that he had spared Celestia's life, opting to take Twilight intead. Why bother with a prisoner when he could've easily removed two alicorns at once, further crippling  
Equestria's poltical stability? He had addressed his prisoner as though he'd known her, asking her how she had survived the 'Purge'. She

So, Carnifex; what is it about me that caught your interest?

"What were you thinking Saladin?!"

Saladin cringed for the umpteenth time from his friend shouting. He had expected there to be some level of displeasure to be sent his way from the moment Killian, Athena,  
and himself could have some privacy to discuss matters. Killian, being the flamboyant and oftentimes brash man that he was, didn't hold back in berating the Prince for  
his actions. He made for an intimidating figure to deal with; standing about two inches taller than Saladin and even more toned, Killian was the prime example of his  
tribes philosophy of stregnth being emphasized in all aspects of life. Few were unintimidated by his dark orange hair and piercing blue eyes. Even Saladin found himself  
uneased at times by his companion's ferocity. So yes, Saladin could say he expected Killian to react the most drastically to his descision to spare the Corona's life.  
Thankfully the other two had been more understnading. Protheon had accepted his order to guard the alicorn without question. Athena was leanning against a wall, playing  
absentmindedly with her short black curls. Unlike Killian, she preferred to remain a silent.

At least she has the decency to not shriek like an angry bunyip.

Saladin finally gave his answer, his voice calm and level." Killian, I need you to calm down. I understand your frustrated with my actions-" "Frustrated?! Oh, I'm  
more than that Saladin: I'm goddamn furious!" The Carnifex groaned internally. Of course he isn't done." You've trained in preperation for that very duel for the past 5  
millenia; hell, we all have! You had the wretch dead to rights and whatsmore, that second one would've left the Eq'esi even more crippled than ever! Instead you leave  
the Corona to live, and take that purple flesh bag back with us! How could you of all people let that happen?! You had more reason than anyone alive to finish the  
duel right then and there!" Saladin glared at his friend, his eyes gleaming menacingly. "Are you implying that the reason I was unable to slay the Corona because I was  
too weak-willed? That I would rather settle for that underdeveloped excuse of an alicorn, rather than taking the one responsible for the destruction of our people as a  
trophy?!" Athena and Killian instinctivly backed away. Saladin, noticing this, resumed his passive stance. He massaged his temples as he attempted to collect himself.  
"Look, I'm sorry; it's just that- I didn't mean to lash out like that. You have every right to be... displeased with me. It was my responsibility to eliminate the  
Corona." Athena asked," If that's the case, then why didn't you? I'm assuming it has something to do with our prisoner?" Saladin nodded. "You would be correct, Sister."

He paused for a moment, silently praying for them to not lose all decency.

"I have reason to believe that our...guest...is serving as a vessel for the Dawn Oracle."

"..."

"..."

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"..."

"..."

"Athena? Killian? Are you two alrig-"

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!?"

"Brother, you cant be serious!"

" Would you please calm dow-"

"HOW CAN YOU EVEN MAKE THAT AS A JOKE?!"

To Hell with this.

"Enough!"

That silenced them. Saladin breathed in again, desperately attempting to calm himself before he throttled one or both of his companions." Before our prisoner begged  
me to spare the Corona's life, It managed to deflect a direct blow from my blade- a weapon forged during the Golden Age mind you." Athena chimed in. " The alicorn  
could easily have formed a spell capable of enduring the Avenged; it proves nothing." " I'm aware of that possibility, and that was the first possibility I considered.  
However the mark that creature bares- that is an exact copy of the symbol of the last Oracle!" Killian raised a hand silencing the Prince. " You expect me to believe  
a spawn of our most reviled foe that just so happens to bear a mark that is similar to that of the previously deceased Dawn Oracle, is her heir?" He crossed his  
arms, the picture of skepticism. "Killian," Saladin replied." You know as well as I that each Eq'esi each have their own unique symbols, and that the Dawn Oracle's  
Aegis was never one of them; what are the chances that this is simply chance?" His companions remained silent as they pondered on his words. Killian spoke first, his  
tone noticably less irate. " Let's assume what you're saying is true, that an alicorn was somehow chosen to be the Dawn Oracle and thus recieved the mark; how exactly  
are you going to convince the Council to believe you and not attempt to strip you of the title of Carnifex?" Athena interjected," They can't 'oust him' Killian: they  
have neither the authority or ability to strip him of his mantle." Killian turned to address the woman. " Be that as it may, what's to stop them from claiming that the  
reason we didn't come back with the Corona is because Saladin was unable to properly harness his powers, and is thus unworthy to lead our people?"

"I said I have reason to believe; I never said it was a certainty, merely a possibility. The only way to be sure is to present the alicorn to the Aegis." Saladin  
waited for an objection; judging by his expression, Killian looked ready to give one, but a glance from Athena was enough to hold his tongue. "If I'm right, if  
the Aegis has some link to the Alicorn, than not only will we have a member of our people's greatest enemy under our heel, but we'll regained the ability to link  
directly to the Eternal's power." Athena questioned, "And if your wrong?" "If I'm wrong... well, It's an Alicorn; we have more than suitable means of which to glean  
any needed information." Saladin observed his two comrades. "Look, I understand how ridiculous this all sounds. That being said, I need you to go along with this for  
now, alright? This is the first time we've reached out in centuries; The Refuge was in dire need of a victory, and we've just delivered one! We bring home a  
live trophy and left the Corona in a state of critical injury. How much better can it get?" Killian held the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "*sigh* You  
really think that the Councilers will let you off without so much as a hitch? Fine; just don't expect me to bail you out when those old bats try to oust you for  
failing to," At this he made quotations marks in the air."'successfully fufill your duties as the protector and avenger of your subjects'." The Prince grinned at his  
friend's sarcasm.

That's one less person I have to worry about dealing with.

Presently, A dim spark appeared from an opening in the wall, allowing a small green sphere to float over to the three humans. The object was no bigger than a mouse  
as it bobbed in the air before them, its mint green surface in perpetual rearrangement. Saladin adrressed the newcomer. "Yes Pilot, what is it?" The orb remained  
silent for a moment before responding, its synthesized voice garbling with each word . "My Prince, we are approaching the Poseidos Gate. Shall I notify the Council  
of your return?" Saladin nodded in confirmation. "You may." The orb, its task complet gave a final bow( as best it could) before vanishing as quickly as it'd appeared.  
Athena finally spoke. "Brother, are you certain you want to go through with this? That alicorn could prove to be a serious nuisance to deal with until we decide what  
to do with it." Saladin turned to his sibling." Athena, you know as well as I that we need every advantage we can gather for what's to come. I know what I saw; if the  
Dawn Oracle power was passed on to the alicorn, then we have no choice but to use it to our own ends." He addressed Killian. "Come with me." Killian simply nodded in  
response, making his way towards the door. Saladin gave one last glance at Athena before following him. The prince pondered her words. What if she was right? His abilities  
had always been difficult to fine tune; he'd only used them to finish off the Corona. Bringing a living alicorn to the Refuge could prove to be a fatal miscalculation-

No.

He knew what he'd sensed. It had been faint, but he'd felt the Oracle's ether in that alicorn. How it'd come to rest there was a mystery to him, but of that  
much he was sure. This prisoner would be more useful to him alive, and he'd be damned if the Council told him otherwise. He smiled to himself. At the very least, this  
provided the perfect oppurtunity to cement his authority over those stubborn old jirah.

Yes.

A wonderful oppurtunity indeed.

Twilight jumped when Protheon's hulking figure jolted awake. She withdrew her hoof away from the magic dampener as she retreatd to the cell corner. His lights in his  
armor flared as he stirred. The bronze helmet turned in her direction as the titan examined his charge. Twilight pulse spike as she began to panic. Had he been watching  
her attempts to remove the infernal device the whole time? Finally, his voice rumbled. "No sudden movements; His Majesty draws near." Twilight looked over at him  
quizically, only to be interrupted by the soft hiss of a door opening. First to step in was the one in red and black armor. With his helmet retracted, she now had an  
unobscured view of orange hair and light blue eyes. In any other circumstance, she might even consider him attractive. The newcomer glanced over at her, his features  
twisting into a snarl. Twilight made sure to back away into the corner. Thankfully, her turned his attention away from her, standing to the side of the door. The second  
one to enter was the Carnifex himself, likewise wearing his armor. Saladin. Protheon bowed in deference to his leader, murmuring something in whatever counted as  
their native language. Saladin responded briefly, before turning his attention to his prisoner. " I hope you haven't been up to any mischief in my absence, Princess."  
Twilight puffed up her chest a she stood, attempting to make herself look more intimidating. The fact that she was more than a few heads shorter than her captors wasn't  
exactly helping helping her cause. "Considering you left me incapacitated and imprisoned from the moment you captured me, no." She replied." That being said, I demand  
that you explain the reasoning for your unprovoked attack on my people and our allies." Upon hearing this, the one who'd accompanied him snorted. " Unprovoked? Have  
you forgotten the crimes your kind commited against against ours, beast!" The Carnifex raised a hand to silence him. " Not now Killian; you can have your shot later."

The now identified Killian grumbled something under his breath, turning his attention to fiddling with one of his gauntlets. The Carnifex turned back to the alicorn.  
"My comrade does make a fair point. If anyone's guilty of 'unprovoked' attacks, it's you. However, I didn't bring you here for the sake of something so unpleasant  
as a trophy kill; the Corona was meant to serve that purpose." Twilight's face remained neutral. " In that case, why take me to wherever it is you're going?"  
At this, the alien royal replied, " I thought it would've been obvious. Our understanding of how much has changed since our exile is...limited at best. You will serve  
as a means of gleaning whatever information we find to be of use. Cooperate, and you have my word that I will inflict as little damage to your home and your people  
as is feasible." Twilight faltered slightly, replying, "And if I refuse?" The Carnifex grinned. "It's not like you really have a choice Alicorn, but should you choose  
to be...difficult," at this his eyes gleamed malevolently."you saw what just four of us were capable of doing. Do I really need to elaborate on just what entire  
legions would be capable of?" Twilight shook her head fervently, the threat having been made perfectly clear. "Good." His attention turned to Protheon. "Bring her  
to the observation deck." The titan bowed. "I hear and obey, Carnifex." His superior nodded, and without so much as a glance in the young Princess's direction, left  
as suddenly as he'd arrived. With his leader gone, Killian turned his atention to Protheon. "Make sure to restrain It." He glared down at Twilight, his features the  
picture of contempt. He sneered, then exited the cell block, hurrying after his leader.

Twilight watched him go, slowly realizing how truly dire her situation had become. Either submit to these mysterious creatures and provide them with whatever information  
they required, or risk the possible annihilation of her people and their allies. Judging by the apparent complexity of their technology and whatever else they had at  
their disposal, these aliens seemed more than capable of backing up whatever threats they made. Their ferocity and seeming hatred of Equestrians, especially  
alicorns, only made the situation more mysterious. Twilight was an avid reader, often perusing through some of the most arcane records she could find. Not once had she  
ever found any records of 'humans', advanced or otherwise. It left many unanswered questions.

What most confused her though, was the Carnifex's previous behavior. He hadn't hesitated to slaughter any who wre in his way, and he'd very nearly sent Celestia to her  
grave. Why had he been so hesitant to do the same to Twilight? He'd acted as though he knew her. What did he see that had intrigued him enough to capture her alive?  
Presently, she was drawn from her musing as the energy field of her cell flared. Its surface shimmering white, then gold, then cyan as it powered down and finally  
disappeared. Protheon wasted no time in reaching to grab Twilight, dragging her out none too gently. He held the prisoner up he made sure the magic dampener was still  
in place. Satifised, he proceeded to carry her through through the door and down a dimly lit hallway. At the end stood a chrome cylinder like device, just tall enough  
to fit them both. Protheon entered, and a blue field appeared in place of the opening. For a moment, the cylinder remained still. Then it plummeted, the sudden drop  
sending a jolt up Twilight's spine. Their descent lasted only a few seconds, ending abruptly as they reached their destinatiom. Twilight blinked in suprise. They were  
flying over the ocean. The inky blue waves were a blur only a few metres beneath them. There was nothing between them and the rapidly passing waters below. Twilight  
gawked at the sight. Protheon stepped out of the pod, barely seeming to notice the marvel before them. Twilight tensed, fearful at his movements. Had the Carnifex  
ordered his servant to sacrifice himself and the prisoner? She flexed her wings against the binding, attempting to free herself in order to captor, noticing  
this, tightened his grip around her neck in warning. "Be still." he growled. He stepped forward again, and then-

Nothing.

There was no sound of rushing wind, nor the senssation of icy water colliding like a stone wall beneath their legs. In fact, as the giant of a warrior stepped out, there  
was barely the soft padding of his boots on the ground as a light blue glow pulsed underneath each step he took. Now assured that there was no immediate danger, Twilight  
took the oppurtunity to observe the rest of the space. As her eyes adjusted, she noticed the entire room was bathed in a pale light. She looked up to the source, and  
was met with the Moon, shining in all Its glory. Around it, she could make out numerous constellations, many of which she didn't recognize. She took in a breath, and  
was met with the distinct odor of sea spray leaping up up from the waters below-

Wait, smell?

The alicorn was confused. It was faint, but the fragrance was unmistakeable through the strange material. This was an observation deck of some kind, though the spells  
required for such an advanced design was something even she was unfamiliar with. Then again, these creatures seemed to have had more than enough time on their hands to  
construct whatever tools they found use of. If only she could get a closer look at the inner working of their systems...

She thoughts were interrupted at the sound of metal plates rubbing against one another. She turned her head in the direction of the sound. A figure, this one smaller  
than Protheon, was reclining on what appeared to be a hovering metal chair. Twilight could make out a pale blue light emenating from the bottom. The one sitting in it  
was wearing a similar set of armor to the Carnifex's. This one was colored mint green, with several patterns of cyan lighting etched into the surface. There was the  
lack of a helmet however, revealing a mass of neck length hair, charcoal black with specks of blonde. It seemed to be a reverse of the Carnifex's, come to think of it.  
Judging from the slimmer body under the armor, this human was female. The woman was presently occupied with a set of green glass panels floating before her. Her hands  
moved speedily overits surface moving small glowing symbols across the screen. Their purpose was completely lost on Twilight. Protheon spoke up. "Princess Athena. I have  
arrived, per your brother's orders." The woman, finally noticing the newcomers, turned to face them. Now that Twilight could see her face the resemmblance between this  
Athena and the Carnifex was striking, the only differences being the lack of marking on her face and that both her eyes were that bold splash of gold. Her expression  
was blank for a moment, examining Protheon and his captor. Upon noticing the alicorn, her eyes narrowed as she glared. Twilight recoiled slightly in return. Finally  
the human princess spoke. " Very good, Captain Protheon. I expect Saladin and Killian will be joining us shortly?" " I'd imagine so, milady." Athena nodded, before  
adressing Twilight. "Understand that you've only been allowed to see this because the Carnifex wills it. Step out of line, and it's back to your cell. Understood?"

Twilight nodded. "Perfectly." Athena, seemingly satisfied, turned back to her interface. She point to another chair. "Restrain the prisoner." Protheon grunted  
in acknowledgement. He walked over to the seat, and promptly placed Twilight in it. Almost immediately, a pair of arm (or in her case hoof) rests folded out from the  
sides of the chair, before each produced a ring of white light that wrapped around her forehooves. She squirmed a bit, attempting to make herself comfortable. The  
restraints were warm, almost pleasant against her fur, but she quickly noticed the temperature increased when she struggled. If that wasn't enough, the entire chair  
seemed to be bolted to the floor rather than being equiped with a hover unit. These humans definitely weren't taking any chances with her; did they really see her as  
that much of a potential threat? Protheon, now relieved of his burden, took a place beside her, his massive figure towering over her. She somehow  
doubted that even if she'd managed to escape the bonds, Protheon would snap her neck if given the oppurtunity. Better to wait it out. Presently, a low chime echoed  
through the room, and a small green orb materialized itself. It floated over to Athena, bobbing through air. "Princess Athena, we have been granted entry through the  
Poseidos Gate, and the Carnifex has requested that you take us in without his supervision. The woman glanced at the orb, confused. "Why can't he come down himself?"  
The orb replied," I believe he was cotacting one of the staff at the Citadel, though for what purpose is something he did not wish to disclose to me. Rather odd, I  
might say." Athena mutted something in her native tongue before responding. "Whatever; just make sure the defenses don't blow us out of the sky." The orb lowered  
itself a few inches in an attempt at bowing, before promptly floating away. As it passed Twilight, it stooped to examine her, the patterns of runes and other markings  
on Its surface shifting endlessly as it did so. Finally It spoke, the cheerful tone it used very much out of place with the words. "You needn't worry, Prisoner. Unlike  
your own species, we of the Remnant treat those we capture with the utmost repect. Unfortunately, there's a chance that hospitality won't be extended to you."

Twilight stared with her mouth agape at the orb. The amount of cheerfulness in its voice when uttering that not so subtle threat was even more unnerving than the threat  
itself. Protheon growled ,shooing the little pest away with his hand. It buzzed out of the way, before vanishing into thin air. Twilight stared at the area where it had  
flickered out of existence before being interrupted by the sound of the pod descending onto the deck. She turned to see the Carnifex and his escort entering the room.  
The human royal barely acknowledged her presence as he made is way to the front of the deck. "Athena, has Poseidos Gate been alerted of our arrival?" "Yes, My Liege."  
"Good." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Take us in." Athena nodded, and manipulated the controls. The entire ship jolted as it descended before it picked up  
speed, the ocean transforming into a uniform blur beneath them. A low hum seemed to emenate from all around them, drowning out the sound of the wind and waves. As their  
speed increased, Twilight could make out two specks of light on the horizon. They were small, yet the glow that each released seemed to pulse brighter as the ship  
approached. As they drew closer, Twilight could finally discern thier true form. Twin obelisks, each measuring at least 20 metres in height, rose out of the water like  
sentinels carved of pure white marble. The lights were generated their peaks. The aura illuminated the air around it with a kaliedescope of shifting colors. She could  
make out inlays of gold and silver placed all over the gigantic monuments, forming a menagerie of unreadables hyroglyphs. It was beautiful. Still, something about them  
seemed... off. Twilight squinted. As they drew closer, the obelisks appeared to be damaged. Cracks ran across their surface, ruining the intricate writing etched into  
them. Chunks could be seen to be missing from the areas closest to the water, almost as ifthey'd been dropped there. Judging by their size, each mass of stone likely  
weighed at least a ton; what could possibly have moved them? Her musings were interrupted as Athena spoke up. "We're now on approach. Linking with Poseidos Gate now."

As she said this, the humming noise rose higher as the craft increased Its speed. Soon another pair of pillars became visible, nearly as time worn as the first. A few  
minutes later, another appeared. Then another. Soon, they were whizzing past a pair of towers every few seconds. The lights turned from repeating blips into a pair  
continuous beams above them, growing brighter with as they passed by. Twilight was having difficulty keeping track. Then she heard the roar. Her head whipped  
around, searching for the source. Then she saw It. outside the pillars she could make out a mass of glowing aguamarine stripes and markings keeping pace with them.  
Because of the light from the obelisks, it difficult to make out, but it seemed whatever was out there was easily several times larger than they were. She could  
almost make out a pair of cobalt pupiless eyes rising above the water. They seemed to be staring directly at the alicorn. It bellowed again, the sound thundering across  
the waters. Before she could get a better look, the creature dove down, revealing a gargantuan triple fluked tail covered with glowing blue and green marking rose 10  
metres above the water before splashing down. As quickly as It had appeared, the beast had vanished into the sea. Twilight exhaled, only just realizing she'd been  
holding her breath. Was that creature another one of their creations?

"The Leviathan."

She looked up to see Protheon's helmet gazing down at her. "It guards the waters of this region for us." He turned away, his hulking figure shifting as he returned to  
his silent watch over her. Twilight let the word settle in her mind. Leviathan. A beast of untold proportions. The name seemed appropriate. Not that it revealed much.  
Judging by Its size alone, it was obvious this 'Leviathan' could easily tear the comparably miniscule ship they were in to pieces. Did these humans have some form  
of control over it? A piece of her hoped they weren't planning on using It for more... offensive purposes. Presently, the orb's voice could be heard. " We've achieved  
maximum charge. Preparing to enter the Threshold. The rumbling began to intensify, as if the ship itself was acknowledging this annoucment. As it sped further forward  
over the waves, lightning arced from the peaks of the obelisks as they impacted the hull. Webs of white hot electricity spread over the darkened metal until it was  
blanketed in the crackling aura. Twilight squinted as the light began to obsure the ocean. The light grew even brighter until they were enveloped in the blinding light.  
The rumbling peaked, sounding as if the hull was about to tear apart around them-

It stopped. The light was gone as quickly as it had accumulated. It was quieter too; only a faint breeze flowing over the ship could be heard now.  
Twilight's eyes adjusted to take in her surroundings. She looked around as she tried to regain her bearings. It seemed brighter here, wherever 'here' was.  
She looked up at the sky. Thin fog obscured her vision, but the stars and moon shone starkly against them. In fact, they seemed clearer despite the drop in visibility.  
Strange. She hadn't detected a shift in energy, even through the magic dampener. Wait, there was something. Faint but detectable, a sensation made Itself present. The  
entity made no discernible sound, yet she could feel Its presence seemed to call out to her. It felt almost... familiar? Her confusion mounted upon realizing this  
fact. The presence was as alien as her captors; how did that even make any sense? Her eyes scanned the area, looking for the source as It called out to her. Her  
mind suddenly felt drawn closer to the presence, and her neck swiveled to face the direction from which it came.

There!

A small light could be seen floating in the distance above the mist. It pulsed and writhed in the night sky with the same eery light produced by the obelisks. As the  
ship drew closer, Twilight could discern shards of debris orbiting around it. She glanced away from the mysterious presence, finally noticing a change in demeanor in  
the humans. The Carnifex clasped his hands behind his back as he let out a brief sigh. Athena had leaned back from the controls of the vessel as she examined  
one of her gauntlets, absentmindedly coiling a strand of hair around her other hand. Killian, who'd spent his time on the bridge glaring at the alicorn from across  
the deck, turned away as he popped his neck, grunting softly. Even her massive overseer alowed his shoulders to slacken partially. The Carnifex turned to look over at  
his 'guest'. His trademark smirk was gone, replaced by a neutral gaze and a glint of pride in his eyes. Finally he spoke.  
"Allow me to clarify something for you, 'Princess'; you are about to step foot in a place none of your kind have even laid eyes upon in millenia. There is no escape  
for you here. Cooperate, and the safety of your people and your own person are relatively assured. Should you fail to comply, or attempt to reveal the location of  
this place, and I will personally hunt you down to the ends of the world." He leaned in closer to Twilight, his face inches from his muzzle. "Have I made myself  
clear?" Twilight returned his steely gaze. "Crystal." Satisified, the Carnifex gestured towards Portheon. Wordlessly, the titan pressed the back of the chair.  
The cuffs around Twlight's legs evaporated, allowing her muscles to relax as the bloodflow returned to normal. The Prince turned back toward the light, now seeming to  
glow brighter as they apporached. He continued. "In that case, it with great pleasure that I welcome you to the haven of my people, the last bastion from the perils  
of the lands beyond. I give you... the Refuge!"

As he said this, the mist finally cleared, recealing in full detail the source of the illuminating entity. It was a tower, signifcantly taller and larger that the  
obelisks outside. The light could be seen pulsing with an infinite array of colors as rectangular slabs of chrome metal floated around the peak. The entire structure  
was painted ebony black, contrasting sharply against the patterns of gold and platinum running over Its surface. What caught Twilight's attention the most  
however, wans't the tower: It was what else was there as well. As gigantic landmass stretched across the horizon, nearly escaping the width of the observation deck.  
The black ziggurat was positioned atop a towering mountain, swaths of blue, green, and red vegetation blanketing Its face. The landmark stood above spacious ocean  
bay. It was there that Twilight noticed more structures. These ones were shaped like gigantic mushrooms. The caps were wide and flattened, covered in a brass like  
material the reflected the moonlight from miles away. This blended in perfectly with the stalky marble white stalks that made up the main body of them. They all came  
in numerous sizes and colred, all glinting as they reflected the night sky. Also, there hundreds of them all clustered together below the tower. It was a city. A  
massive city on an even larger island.

Presently, the lught from the tower glowed brighter, and Twilgith could hear faint whispers, tingling at the edge of her mind. It was a multitude of voices, both  
male and female,calling out to her as they spoke in unison. She strained to disern the phrase they kept saying over and over again. It was just two words repeated  
by the chorus, calling out to the alicorn.

Welcome Home.

Almost 4 months. This was a tough one to write to say the least. I wanted to take time to flesh out the personalities of the four humans introduced so far, as they'll  
each play a role in later chapters of the story. Not sure when the next chapter will be, but be assured that I'm working on this as often as I can. Hopefully with  
summer break, I can finish things up significantly faster. Next page will focus on more characters from the human perspective, as well as briefly checking on matters  
back home. I'll see you all then!

Sincerely, Sierra Nova ^_^


	5. Hidden Refuge, Interested Parties

Chapter III: Hidden Refuge, Interested Parties

"I give you...the Refuge!"

Twilight gazed in awe at the sight before her. The cluster of mushroom-like constructions blended seamlessly with the organic hues of the forest surrounding them. As the island drew closer,veins of blue and gold light could be seen running from their crowns to the ground below, creating a lightshow that seemed to intensify as the vessel approached. Above them loomed a few dozen towers of chrome metal rising nearly 100 metres into the air, dwarfing their bretheren closer to earth. In contrast to their counterparts, these monuments held a ressemblence to great oaks, with branches of sliver streching out to for giant mesas. Twilight could make out pathways of blue , green, and golden light interescting between the platforms and the metal tress themselves. As she watched, she could almost make out dark objects of various sizes flying around these structures as well as around the island. What caught her attention most however, was the amount of energy flowing through the settlement. From a distance the source was powerful enough. Here, It seemed to permeate everything; nothing was absent of Its dominating essence, and yet...  
Twilight shifted her horn to point in the energy's direction, attempting to reach out through the inhibitor. The magic strained, hesitating to interact, but finally relented enough to grant her a sense of the Its power. At first nothing unusual than what she'd initially contacted was felt, but as she progressed further, she could make out 'cracks' in the innermost pieces of the source. Almost as if it was...broken.

Unbeknownst to the alicorn, her probing had resulted in a small amount of her own magic to escape the inhibitor's grasp, producing a faint magenta glow. It quickly caught the attention of her four captors. Killian went rigid as he noticed it. "Saladin...look." The Carnifex turned to see what his compatriot was referring to.  
His face turned unhealthily pale upon seeing the glow. "No...NO!PROTHEON, STOP HER!" Twilight shaken from her concentration as the armored gauntlet of the behemoth closed around the back of her neck, lifting her roughly into the air. "Hey, stop it! What are you doing?!" Protheon ignored her as he twisted her head around with his other hand. "My Liege, there's no sign of damage to the restraint." This did very little to help Saladin calm down. He turned urgently to Athena."Please tell me that little escepade didn't trigger any defenses." His sister was busy at her controls, her hands a blur. "No intial response detected... wait... Oh no." Kilian jumped to his feet. "The hell do you mean 'oh no'?!" " The Wraiths are activating! Hold on, I'll try to get through to Securi- LOOK OUT!" _Wraiths_? Twilight turned her head to look out the viewport towards the island. She could make out a dozen chrome towers rising out of the water ahead of them. THe were painted black with golden plating, similar to the main tower. Unlike the tower, their tops with flat and rounded, with each holding a ball of... something. Each orb was about the size of a large boulder, and was comprised of some unknown shimmering material that writhed about as they floated in the air. They remained like this for several seconds, their erratic movements being the only detectable activity.

Then they morphed into sharpened blades, and promptly launched themselves at the ship.

Athena wasted no time in using the controls to maneuver out of the way. The projectiles grazed the vessel's shielding, screeching like banshees. The impact sent everyone inside tumbling. Saladin managed to dig his claws into the floor in time. Killian, lacking such equipment, was sent crashing against the wall. Protheon remained standing as he gripped the restraint chair, his hold on Twilight's neck unrelenting. When the ship finally leveled, Saladin released the ground. "Athena, get in contact with Commander Voss and tell him to cease fire at once!" His sibling (herself rattled) responded, "Hold on, the comms unit took a beating in the volley.  
Let me- there! We have contact." Almost instantly, a garbled voice was recieved. It was male, and was speaking in human tongue. Saladin responded in turn, his tone venomous. The voice diminished in gusto upon hearing the rebuke. It quickly gave a response before terminating the connection. Satisfied that his orders had been properly recieved, the Carnifex whirled on Twilight, his expression murderous. "What by Hell's gates did you do? Did your mistress place a tracker on you so she could finish what she started?" Twilight replied, "Me? I didn't do anythi-" She was interrupted as Killian snatched her from Protheon's grasp. He glared at Saladin. " I told you bringing this wretch here alive was a mistake! Not only have we gone against orders, but now that idiot commander's probably alerted the entire city to the equ'si's presence here!"

Saladin responded," My descision remains unchanged, Killian. The Council was planning on having a ceremony upon our return. Besides, we're already here; it's not as if we turn back now." He turned to address the other two humans in the room. " I'm fully aware of the potential... 'issues'... that could result from all this.  
With that being said, what's done is done. We'll just have to manage it as efficently as possible. Athena?" "Yes Brother?" "Contact the Council. Let them now to prepare the ceremony." Athena noded, and began to work furiously on the console. The Carnifex turned to examine his prisoner. The death glare was gone, replaced with only a small frown. "As for you, until we can determine exactly what you just did, I'm afraid you must be... properly contained for a short while. Protheon, sedate her."  
The titan bowed in deference. " As you wish, my Lord." He promptly snatched Twilight away from Killian (who thankfully gave no resistance) and produced a small 'T' shaped object from his waist armor. It unfolded, revealing twin wings of web like material. The flaps were tipped with small transluscent tendrils moving about in the air. Twilight, understandably, tried to move away from the device, but it was forced onto her face as Protheon shoved her forward. The feelers extended around the back of her head and latched on. It smelled sickly sweet as the alicorn breathed in. She struggled to take it off, but she could her muscles fatigue. Within a minute,  
she knew no more.

Canterlot, 2 days after First Contact

 _It's like the sun burned a hole right through it_.

Luna stared intently at one of the damaged pillars within the plaza. Construction workers had been quick to repair the damage infliected after the 'duel', but there were some pieces that would take weeks to fully rebuild. This collunm was one such example. Massive cracks ran up and doen Its face around the defaced area. A large chun of the marble had been disintigrated upon impact, leaving chardd black stone as a reminder of the abuse inflicted. The same could be said foor most of the room.  
The 'Carnifex' and his companions had certainly brought come prepared for this battle, though to call it that was extremely generous. Twenty six guards- half of them serving under foreign ambassadors- had been killed, with more than half that number in critical condition. Most of the emmisaries had returned to their respective lands, likely in preperation for another attack, though they'd allowed their wounded to be treated in Canterlot. As for the dead...they'd gone home as well. Luna cringed internally as she remembered looking at two unfortunate soldiers;the titan with the giant hammer had crushed them both in one swing.

There were a two cases of varying degrees of good fortune. Shining armor had survived with only a few cracked ribs and a concussion, so he'd returned with his wife and daughter to the Northen lands. Celestia had lived as well, though she wasn't so lucky. Her midsection had nearly been bisected by the Carnifex's blade, barely missing her spinal chord. A few of her organs had also sufered from internal bleeding, making for very...messy...surgical operation. Luna still couldn't shae the sight of Celestia's blood stained body from her mind. At the moment, Celestia was in stable but critical condition in a private wing of the Canterlot hospital. She had been in a coma since the attack, leaving Luna as the defacto head of the kingdom. It'd been a harrowing two days. Just about every military in Equestria was frothing at the mouth, demanding that a retaliatory strike be initiated. Of course, they'd forgotten that there had been no sign of the 'Humans', and that there was no way to predict the ultimate consquences of such an assault. Intellignce Director Lockdown had thankfully been able to reign them in. Speaking of the Director...

"Your Majesty, a word?"

Luna turned away from the damaged architecture to address her subordinate. The Aged pegasus was dressed in silver and black battle armor(minus the helmet), conforming with his light gray coat and blue hair. Of veteran of his office, one could tell his years of service hadn't always beeen kind to him. "You may Director. What do you wish to bring to Our attention?" Lockdown's features twisted into a scowl. "It would seem that we have some...visitors at the palace gates. Bunch of creatures all dressed up in yellow robes claiming to be 'Followers of the Praeco'." Luna's eyes widened. "Are they armed?" Lockdown shook his head. "If by armed you mean with the same weapons used by those creatures two days ago, no. Just a few rusty spears and shields, plus a few banners with what I can only assume is the symbol of whatever organization they're part of." "Then what, pray tell, do these Followers of the Praeco desire?" "The Director's scowl deepened. "Their leader says he wishes to inform you on what's happened to Princess Twilight, as well as information of the ones that too her."He'd scarcely finished the sentence before Luna had flown off the plaza and down to the source of the commotion. He merely shook his head and followed after her.

"Citizens of Canterlot, We bring to you grand tidings! The time of the strife and folly is over, for the Gods have at last began their glorious reclamation of this planet, and We, the Followers of the Praeco are his heralds!" Luna's features were twisted into a frown as she observed the newcomers. As Lockdown had said, they were mostly unarmed, clad only in gold robes with black trimmings. There appeared to be multiple species within their ranks, but each of them wore a hood with a silver mask to obscure their faces, so it was difficult to know for sure. The leader of the group- the one sounding like some delusional cleric- wore a vermillion mask in contrast to that of his peers, the horn identified him as a unicorn. He was also the one carrying the banner. Upon examination, it bore a symbol identical to the one worn by the Carnifex. " For centuries, we have maintained the knowledge pertaining to the chosen keepers of this world, and have been awaiting their return so that we may baptize You in their holy-"

" _ **ENOUGH OF THINE PRATTLING , CURR!**_ "

The unicorn fell silent, and the crowd of guards standing before him made way for the lunar princess to approuch. Her frown had morphed into a full on snarl. " ** _THOU_** _**HAST A GREAT DEAL OF GALL TO SPEAK SUCH LIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF SUCH A HEINOUS** **ATTAC** **K!**_ " The speaker had fallen silent, seemingly cowed. Luna felt a brief sense of pride. The unicorn spoke again. "Princess Luna, it is an honor to have been granted an audience with you." Luna growled, "We did not recall granting thee an audience; who are you, and what is your buisness here?" If the speaker was intimidated by the dangerous tone of the royal before him, he gave no indication."I meant no offense to you or your fallen sibling; on the contrary, we give our sincere condolences-" "Answer the question." The Unicorn swallowed nervously. "I am Brother Night Birch, head of the Equestrian branch of the Followers of Praeco, and representative of the order overall. I and my entourage received word that the heir to the King of the Gods had returneded and later escaped with the Element of Magic. We come to offer whatever assistence we can to resolve the situation." Luna raised an eyebrow at this. "And what assistence doth thou believe thou can provide, pray tell?" Night Birch bpwed lower. "Merely information pertaining to your... 'visitor'. You wish to understand the One who has declared war upon you, yes? We can provide you exclusive information known only to us. Information," at this he glanced over at Director Lockdown. "that your own organizations have thus been unable to glean." The weathered pegasus bristled at that. "Why you little-" Luna raised a wing to silence him. " Tell Us Night Birch, say that we accept thine offer; what dost thou gain from this?" The cultist responded bluntly, "Nothing."

That caught everyone off guard. Murmurs ran through the crowd, civilians and soldiers alike. Lockdown gawked at the cultist. "You're joking." Night Birch shook his head. "Not at all. The Followers' aim is to watch, to record, to preserve, and when needed,to share our knowledge freely to those that require it." he turned back to Luna." We can even help to heal your sister." Luna sucked in her breath. "Y-You can?" Night Birch , sensing her hesitation, replied, "But of course, your Highness! Our centuries of work dedicated to studying the Gods have granted us a great understanding of their weapons and how to treat wounds they inflict." Luna remained silent for a while before Lockdown whispered to her, " Princess, these people are obviously crazed, but if there is a chance they have information we can use, I'd suggest we...allow them an audience." Luna gazed at him, her face expressionless. Then she turned to the cultist leader. "Night Birch of the Followers of Praeco, We shall grant thee entrance to the Royal grounds on the condition that thou come alone; thine compatriots must remain outside." There was a murmuring among the crowd of yellow robed figures before Night Birch stepped forward. He bowed even lower, nearly to the ground before responding, " My sincere gratitude, your Majesty; You will not regret this, I assure you."

Refuge

Twilight woke with a start as the mask was ripped off her face. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she attempted to get a bearing of her surroundings. The first thing she saw were two humans standing above her. Neither of them were Saladin's crew, as the wore beige robes rather than the onyx armor of her captors. Judging from the outlines of their garments, one appeared to be male and the other female. Plates of gold were scattered on their bodies, the most accumulated to form masks that completely obscured their faces. Both wore robes of of some pearly white material that seemed to float in some nonexistent breeze. The masks each had a single vertical line of white light running down the center; from the way they periodically blinked and pulsed, they seemed to act as a sensor for the wearers. Currently those sensors were looking down at the alicorn. "Um...hello?" They continued to stare down at her in silence. If they'd understood a word of what she'd just said, they gave no indication. The male reached forward with a gloved hand. Twilight winced, but he paid no heed to her movements as he touched the bands of light on holding her left wing in place. It flickered for a moment before releasing itself, forming Its contents into a tiny glowing sphere hovering over her shoulder blade. He repeated the process on her other wing before stepping back. Twilight tested the new devices. Their presence could still be felt, but was considerably less restrictive than the bands. She was actually able to stretch her wings to their full extent. For the briefest instant, she thought to fly again, but almost immediately the orbs glowed brighter.

She could feel her wingtips grow cold, almost icy, and her wings froze up to prevent her from taking flight. The female spoke something in Human tongue, as if she were lightly scolding a child. She pointed to Twilight, highlighting the magical inhibitor still placed firmly on the alicorn's horn. The female spoke to the male, before she disappeared from sight. The male turned his attention to Twilight. He opened his hand, and beckoned her over. The orbs reacted immediately, lifting the alicorn off the ground. They quicly entered a hallway alight with golden runes. Twlight gazed in wonder at the inscriptions, pondering what information they hid. She reached out with a hoof to touch one, but was swifly rebuked by a sharp bar from the human. Not wanting his captor to get too make any proper examination, his pace quickened, and Twiligth followed suit. The pair quickly reached a dead end. This area was circular, and lacked the runes found on the other arcitectural pieces. Twilight looked around quizically. The human glanced over a Twilight before placing his free hand onto the wall. It immediately reacted to the presence, as a glowing cyan outline around the appendage. Twilight looked on as the light spread out in geometric patterns spread to the floor and illuminated the whole space.

It was then that the floor began to ascend.

Twilight gave a suprised yelp as the platform increased in speed. This device appeared similar to the one utilized on the Prince's ship, albeit more rustic. There was no discenrible shield between her and the rapidly moving walls surroundng the platform, so how was it moving? She opted to ponder the question later, as the lift abruptly began to slow down. The faint scent of the ocean and vegetation grew stronger. The platform finally came to a stop, revealing a truly wondurous sight. It was an open air plaza, not dissimilar to those of Equestrian design. Pillars of obsidian stone formed a keyhole shaped border around the entire area. Inlays of gold and bronze crawled down the height of each like streams. Contrasting these were a multitude of different plant species that seemed to spring up all over the architecture.  
Blue, jade, and yellow bioluminescent leaves glowed in the night air, their flowers pulsing in numerous other colors. It was almost peaceful... until a black form moved out from the brush. Then another. And another. Before the alicorn's eyes, two rows of warriors stepped out the shadows, each covered in the same black armor as the Carnifex. Their faces were marked by curved visors that glowed a vibrant emerald. A pair of curved horns adorned their helmets, their sharpened tips gleaming in the moonlight. Strips of alabaster cloth was wrapped onto their armor; it gave a more ceremonial appearance to contrast their intimidating presence. There were about two dozen in all, each with their hands clasps behind their back, the picture of silent vigilance. The human equivalent of royal guards perhaps? Presently, the gripping sensation of the overseer's restraints disappeared, promtly depositing Twilight onto the stone floor.

"I do hope your acommodations weren't too 'unpleasant', Princess."

She looked up, and was greeted by the mocking grin of Prince Saladin. His appearance hadn't changed much, thought the wound on the side of his face seemed to have healed over somewhat. The one major difference was his armor. He'd switched out what he'd worn earlier for a set illustrirously colored of chrome with golden accents. A symbol identical to the first was etched on his chest, as well as the luminescent yellow cape that fluttered behind him. In all, he was the picture of elegance. _Not as unpleasant as you_ , Twilight thought. She replied, "Considering everything else so far, I'm faring rather well. No lasting injuries at least." If that last jab had annoyed the human monarch, the most indication he gave was a slight raising of one eyebrow. She continued. "What exactly are you planning to do with me now? Have you decided that you do want a trophy to display?" "As I told you before, I need you alive. If I wanted to kill you, I'd have taken the head of your mistress and presented it to my people. As it is, I've decided that this is more appropriate." He reached out a hand to her, and Twilight found herself pulled towards him until they were at eye level. "Allow me to demonstrate." The Prince spoke briefly to the overseer, who bowed his head in response before retreating. Saladin turned moved towards the edge of the plaza with Twilight in hand. She gazed at the sight before them. From here, she could see the tops of the domed building as well as the spires. It appeared she had been taken to the palace. A hundred feet below them was a sort of courtyard filled witha menargerie of columns and other structures. These lacked the glowing runes that seemed standard for human architecture, instead appearing a dull gray that'd been worn down over time. They were scattered all over the courtyard.

More importantly, said courtyard was chock full of humans.

Twilight gazed down in amazement. There must've been hundreds of them packed down there. They all wore assortments of different colored clothing that seemed as bright as their city. They were all various shades as well, ranging from pale tan to almost ash black. Whatsmore, the entire multitude was staring directly up at her. Every eye examined her, their faces expressing anything from curiousity to suspicion to animosity. Twilight could be forgiven for feeling the slightest bit intimidated by this bunch. Suddenly, a group of buzzing silver disks flew up in front of her and the prince. Each was about the size of large plate with a small blue dot that seemed to act as an eye. They group seperated, surrounding the pair, before flipping to reveal their tops. Each projected a rectangular field of light about three feet across and and one foot in height. The screens flicered, before finally reflecting the appearence of the Human Prince in all his glory. Twilight gazed at the devices quizically.  
Were purpose could these serve? It was then that the Carnifex began to speak in his human tongue, seemingly addressing the both the crowd and the screens of light. She privately wished she could understand what he was saying, if only to gain some insight into her own fate.

Saladin resisted the urge to tug at the cape on his shoulders. He'd already done that a half dozen times already; it wouldn't do to make such impromptu adjustments now, in front of the crowd amassed below him. It hadn't taken long for word to spread of his return, and even less that he'd been successful in bringing a trophy back with him. What they didn't know was that said trophy was still alive. He took a glance at the holoprojector broadcasting to the Council this angle, the Oracle's avatar was just out of view. That was good. The less information they were privy to, the better. Of course, they were likely already suspicious the moment the Wraith turrets had opened fire, though it was unlikely they knew he'd brought a live alicorn into the Refuge. Regardless, they were about to find out now, as was the the entire populace with access to the Holonet. He could only hope they'd give him the chance to explain himself. He waved his hand, pulling the alicorn closer to him with the gravity manipulators. He held back a smirk upon witnessing her awestruck expression; doubtless her questions were endless. If all went well, perhaps he'd answer a few of them. He turned to the holoprojector directly in front of him. This one would broadcast his message to the entire island.

 _Eternal help me, please let this work._

"My brothers and sisters of the Refuge, I welcome you to my home on this joyous occasion. Whatsmore, I thank you all for coming to hear my words in such haste."

A light cheer of approval came from the crowd. _So far, so good._

"It has been almost 8,000 seasons since our exile from the other nations of Bastion. 8,000 cycles since we were forced to abandon the golden plains our ancestors tended for countless generations, that land in which we were first given the mantle of Protecters of the Aegis,as the Shadows of the Eternal. 8,000 cycles since the ones who we once considered as our own in all but blood struck us down! We, the Chosen Blades of our god, were betrayed, set upon, nearly exterminated from the face of this world! We were torn from our lands and forced into isolation by those whose only desire was empoering themselves and their bloodlines. Nearly all of us lost someone dear to our hearts during the Purge; loved ones, friends, family."

The crowd grew quiet, simmering in grief for those lost and cold fury at those responsible.

"I myself lost my father, your previous leader, Carnifex Valerius Praeco. Before he became one with the Eternal, he fought with all he had to secure a future worth living in for his people. When he was chosen, he swore that he would never see you in terms of which clan you hailed from, nor your station amongst your peers. He saw you as his blood, his family. He kept his promise. He taught me that lesson, just as he did to your beloved Princess, Athena. We treated you as our own, and in our time of grieving, you embraced us in return. You all stood with me in my our years of training. You loved me, as you would love your own kin. It was that love in mind that I swore before you all that I would travel to the land of the Equ'si and return to you with a trophy of the Corona's bloodline. I regret to say that I failed in my task."

The crowd was now murmuring. The Council was probably soaking this all allowed himself a thin smile; Time to shake them up a bit.

"Instead, I brought you something even better."

That got their attention. The rumbling got louder, the curiousity of the crowd had been piqued. A voice shouted up from below, " What have you brought us then?"  
Saladin's grin grew only wider as he now lifted up the alicorn for all to see, her lavender coat in full view of the camera.

"I have returned to you with the vessel of the Dawn Oracle!"

There was a collective gasp from his audience below, mixed with shouts of more questions. He could just imagine the looks on the Councilers' faces now. He raised a hand for silence.

"Indeed, I did battle against the foul spawn of the Corona who betrayed us. It is she who laid the blow upon my face that you see before you, and it is she who I impaled upon the righteous blades of the Chorus of the Avenged. I have restored my father's stolen honor, avenged that foul act that mortally wounded him. I had the Solar Witch dead to rights, but this one intervened with her magic. I'd have brought you two trophies, but the burning plasma of the Avenged refused to strike down the voice of the Aegis. It was then I recognized the essence of that fallen heroine who sacrificed herself to save us all from extinction. Her spirit was prevented from finding Its way back to our people, and was instead forced to serve as the tool of the treacherous Alicorns! This one bargained for the life of the Corona in exchange for her own. I would've taken them both, but the Oracle's essence reached out to warn me against such an action. That is why I have brought this one before you, why I did not bring you the Corona. I will free the Oracle's spirit from this wretched vessel and grant her a new one, so that she may walk among us once again! With her power united with mine, we shall return to the mainland, and reclaim what is rightfully ours!"

A roar of approval erupted from the crowd. Saladin had won them over, just as he'd hoped. He chanced a glance at the council projector. It had been deactivated, likely on the orders of their leadership. Presently, one of his guards approached him from behind, bowing in reverence before she spoke. "My Lord, the High Council's emmisary has just said that the Council demands you come before them to explain your actions." Saladin nodded. " I'll be there shortly. notify Luminary Alvis that I may require him to be present to assist me." The guard nodded before asking, "And what of the prisoner?" Saladin glanced down at the Oracle's vessel. It returned his gaze; despite Its best attempts, the alicorn's body language was dripping nervousness. Good. "I'll take it with me as well. Inform Princess Athena that I'll be returning shortly." THe guard planted a fist across her breastplate as she bowed. " As you wish, My Lord." She quickly departed down the lift. Satisfied, Saladin looked back a the alicorn.  
He finally spoke to in Its own language. "I have something I must do before we can further 'negotiate' the terms of your stay. Come." He extended a hand, lifting the petite creatureinto the air by her restraints. The pair walked over to a small circular formation on the plaza. It began to glow a dim blue, before quickly brightening into a lurry of sparks that enveloped both the Prince and his captive. In an instant, they'd vanished, leaving only a few glittering particles behind them.

 _Is he trying to turn the whole damn city on its head_?

That was the question Killian posed to himself after nearly an hour of waiting in the Citadel for Saladin to make his appearance. Only instead of coming directly to the High Council, he'd decided it'd be better to annouce his claim to every person in the Refuge. The reaction had been predictably unpleasant; the Council members, most of whom were either appointed clan emmisaries or members of the major houses, had been outraged at the Prince's decision. Killian grimaced upon recalling the particularly unpeasant reaction from one particular representative, the 'esteemed' elder Julian Baras. The stuck up politician had been mindful not to step out of his bounds with Killian (seeing as Killian was the son of a major chieftan), but he'd practically accused the Suzerain's son of cowardice in battle. Killian had wanted to wring out his neck then and there, but had been interrupted by Saladin's broadcast. Now he sat in the chamber directly below the Council chambers, waiting for Saladin to arrive.  
Personally, Killian wasn't entirely sure of his friend's sanity at the present moment, mostly due to his brazen defiance of the Council's orders. That, and the fact that the he'd somehow thought it was a good idea to bring an alicorn within the boundaries of the Refuge with Its head still attached to Its body. Saladin claimed he'd sensed the essence of the Dawn Oracle in that creature; _could it really be true?_ Killian ran a hand through his hair, when his attention was caught at the sound of light chimes in the wind. A flash of shimmering light, and there stood Saladin himself, as well as his somewhat disoriented prize.

Killian straightened his posture, smiling at his comrade. "I see you took your sweet time." He inspected the ornate armor Saladin had chosen for the occasion. "A little much on the extravangence, don't you think?" The Prince shrugged, returning his friend's quip with, "This is a moment of celebration; it wouldn't do to wear scuffed up battle armor, now would it?" Killian rolled his eyes. Celebration. Sure. " Athena had to go check in at the Foundries with Protheon to get the suits fixed up, so it looks like it'll be just the two of us making the csse for our," at this he glanced disdainfully at the alicorn; it returned his glare, defiant as ever. "guest." Saladin's grin fell slightly. "You don't believe what I said?" Killian replied, " I never said that. It's the 'all knowing Council' that you're going to have the most trouble with. Most of them are in a tizzy because didn't tell them first about the results of our bounty." Saladin's expression fully morphed into a scowl. "Maybe they should've thought of that before siccing the wraiths on us earlier." "We both agree on that. Regardless, we just got word from the Keepers; old Alvis is on his way to provide the assistance you requested." Killian mentally noted the brief glimmer in Saladin's eyues upon hearing that piece of news. The Prince said, "Excellent. We probably shouldn't keep them waiting any longer. Come on." Saladin tugged the alicorn towards the lift as it uttered protests in Equ'si. Before Saladin could reach the lift, Killian placed a firm hand on his shoulder. " Are you sure you're up for this?" Saladin paused for a moment before responding, "You make it sound like I have a choice in the matter." Killian merely nodded, joining his friend on the now rising platform. His thoughts turned to what his friend called a 'moment of celebration'.

Upon remembering the hostile reaction of certain prominent figures in the Council's ranks, he couldn't help but wonder if said celebration would be short lived.

And place moment of suspense. This has been a long few months writing this piece. I'd wanted to flesh it out a little more, but decided to save it for the next chapter. I'll try not to take as long with this upcoming chapter, but I can't make any promises. Next time we'll be seeing a bit more within the refuge, as well as fleshing out the politics of this society. Also, a bit more focus on the Equestrian perspective of these events. This is going to be a long haul, and I hope to do my best with setting all this up in the chapters to come. See you all soon!

Sincerely, Sierra Nova ;-)


	6. Update 2

I really need to stop doing this...

Ok, long story short, the next chapter is taking significantly longer than I expected. I have about 10% of it typed out, but the rest isn't coming out how I want it. I've also been rather busy with my studies, so I think you understand why this might be taking so long. I see what I can get done over the next week or so, but no promises. Thank you for your patience, and I'll see you in the next chapter.

Sincerely, Sierra Nova. 


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